FANTASY LAND: The PIN–UP x Swiss Institute Holiday Party In Full Color
The pièce de résistance at PIN–UP’s holiday party was a custom fantasy cocktail fountain by art-world mixologist Arley Marks, dripping with fruit and lush plant life, a steady stream of spiced vodka punch cascading into guests’ Jonathan Mosca-designed glasses. Organized in collaboration with our friends at Swiss Institute, the event was also an occasion to celebrate the latest issue, the fantasy-themed PIN–UP 27, and, in a way, to close out the 2010s. DJ A Village Raid and musician and performer Lafawndah put their mixing skills to the test under a giant disco ball, dramatically framed by a 16-foot Jill Mulleady painting and two burly security guards.

Lafawndah and A Village Raid at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
On the opposite side of the room a promotional light box marketing the “Wykoff Manor” banquet hall gave revelers something to talk about. Was it art? Advertising? In fact, just like the giant disco ball, it was an artifact borrowed from the Spectrum, a queer community-run nightclub, showing the Ridgewood party venue they occupied from 2016 to 2019. (Read more in Andrew Pasquier’s essay on nightlife architecture.) The night was also hosted by Spectrum co-founder gage of the boone plus a slew of PIN–UP contributors and subjects — including Ilana Harris-Babou, Angela Dimayuga, Dong-Ping Wong, Shawn Maximo, Jeremy O. Harris, Kayode Ojo, Oana Stanescu, Mahfuz Sultan, and PIN–UP designer Erin Knutson — as well as the Swiss Institute and two of their current artists, Raul de Nieves and Anna-Sophie Berger. What a way to end a decade, and to ring in the festive season.
Guests at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Fantasy cocktail fountain by Arley Marks at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Tiffany Lambert and Ilana Harris-Babou at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Alexandra Paul Zolov at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Gerlan Marcel and Shawn Maximo at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Esteban Arboleda, Andrew Alexander, Mojdeh Pishyar, Felix Burrichter, and Simon Castets (from left to right) at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Guest at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Scene at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Raul de Nieves and Lucas Northrop at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Fantasy cocktail fountain by Arley Marks at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Tiffany Zabludowicz, Shelly Fox Aarons, Phil Aarons, and Victoria Rodgers at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Scene at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Whitney Mallett at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Rafael Prieto and Dan Thawley at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Natasha Stagg, Danny Gallegos, John Hoobyar, and Joseph Teeling at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
gage of the boone at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Michael Bullock at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
Skype Williams and Gyimah Gariba at the PIN–UP x Swiss Institute holiday party, Friday, December 13, 2019. Photographed by Christopher Tomás for PIN–UP.
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Text by Whitney Mallett.
Photography Christopher Tomás.
Special thanks to Mojdeh Pishyar and the team at Swiss Institute. Donate here.